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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23301187">Shumako - I'm Here</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/NiallWrites/pseuds/NiallWrites'>NiallWrites</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Persona 5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Cuddling &amp; Snuggling, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Kissing, Nightmares, Post-November 20 Interrogation (Persona 5)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 12:36:01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,212</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23301187</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/NiallWrites/pseuds/NiallWrites</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>"Don't worry... it's alright now... I'm here." Makoto assured him in a motherly tone, planting a small, soft kiss on his bruised cheek.</p><p>Post-interrogation angsty and fluffy Shumako.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Amamiya Ren/Niijima Makoto, Kurusu Akira/Niijima Makoto, Niijima Makoto/Persona 5 Protagonist</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>151</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Shumako - I'm Here</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span class="u"> <b>11/20</b> </span>
</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <b>Café Leblanc</b> </span>
</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <b>Evening</b> </span>
</p><p>"Well, I suppose we should be going." Sae said as she stood up from the booth she, Makoto and Ren had been sharing that evening. She was almost to the door when she realized something was awry, and turned back around. "Makoto?" she asked, noticing the brunette hadn’t moved from her seat next to Ren, instead watching him sadly as his bruised face pointed to the table. "Makoto..." she repeated, getting the younger girl’s attention.</p><p>"Oh, r-right. Sorry." she apologised as she reluctantly stood up. "I'll see you soon, Ren." she muttered. The boy simply threw up a hand in a slight wave as she began to step off. Makoto continued to glance at him as she followed Sae. When she suddenly noticed a tear drop from his cheek and onto the table, the girl gave a small gasp as she stopped in her tracks, just before the door.</p><p>Again her sister realized she was alone at the entrance. "Is something wrong?" Sae asked, with concern on her face. Makoto did not reply, instead returning to the booth and sitting back beside him.</p><p>After getting comfortable, she spoke up. "I... I wanna stay with him." she said, taking a light hold of his hand from under the table.</p><p>Sae's eyes widened slightly upon realizing what she meant, though she thought for a moment before she replied. "Alright, I understand. Just make sure you get to school tomorrow morning, okay?" she asked.</p><p>"Of course." Makoto agreed, looking at Ren. As Sae left, she felt the boy lean onto her, his hair grazing her neck.</p><p>Sojiro cleared his throat, "I'll... just leave you two to it, then." he mumbled as he left the café, locking the door behind him. Ren also noticed Morgana sneak out with him, likely to leave the two in private.</p><p>After they left, Makoto put an arm around Ren, holding him tightly as she spoke softly into his ear, "Don't worry... it's alright now... I'm here." she assured him in a motherly tone, planting a small, soft kiss on his bruised cheek.</p><p>"Th...Thank you." Ren said weakly.</p><p>Makoto had been heartbroken that evening; when she saw Ren, his eyes didn't have a hint of the playful, devious smugness she had fallen in love with. She couldn't begin to imagine what could have happened to have broken him so hard. It pained her to see him so silent, so powerless. All she wanted to do that evening was to hold him tight and tell him everything was going to be fine. And that's just what she did.</p><p>Makoto sat there comforting Ren for a good half hour or so. He never said a word, though it was clear he was content just listening to his lover's soft, caring voice once again. Makoto holding him also did more wonders; her hold was perfectly tight, and yet still soft. Being able to hear her heartbeat as his head rested on her shoulder was also nicely calming. There were a lot of little things Ren could have noticed to help him calm down, though in the end, being with Makoto was the only thing that truly mattered to him. While he lacked the strength to show it, he was overjoyed to have her back after everything he'd been through.</p><p>About an hour had passed when Makoto suggested that they retreat to his room for the night. As comfortable as they were, both recognized that it was not only late, but also a school night. Still, that didn’t mean they couldn’t relax further wrapped in a blanket together. However, the task of getting upstairs proved quite difficult for Ren, who was still quite weak, albeit reluctant to admit it. His knee ended up buckling on the first step.</p><p>"Ren!" Makoto gasped, hurrying back down instantly. Ren had caught himself, already panting from that experience. Makoto helped him back to his feet, and then up the stairs, Ren holding an arm around her neck as they slowly but safely went step by step. Once they reached the attic, Ren was able to seat himself on the bed while Makoto fetched his pyjamas.</p><p>"Would you like me to help you change?" Makoto asked sincerely. Though he blushed for just a moment at the prospect, Ren nodded. His blazer was easy enough to remove, though his sweater proved to be somewhat of a problem. Makoto took it slowly to make sure it didn't hurt, though her heart sank to her stomach as she revealed his bare chest, for now she finally had a good look at just how bruised his body was. There were reddish-purple marks all over his chest and arms, not to mention a few scars. His wrists seemed to have gotten the worst of it, no doubt thanks to handcuffs.</p><p>"Wait here for a second." she said as she hurried back down to the cafe, returning one moment later with a first aid kit. She took the bandages and got to work, patching up as many of Ren's bruises as she could. "I didn't imagine they'd be so horrible to you. I'd heard some stories, but..." Makoto sighed, a lump in her throat as she continued tying a bandage around his upper arm.</p><p>A few minutes more and Ren was decently covered up; he noted that he felt more comfortable and promised to visit Takemi for check ups as often as possible. Though he was still in some pain, Makoto was at least calm in knowing she'd done all she could...well, not quite. There was still one last thing she wanted to do.</p><p>After changing into one of Ren's t-shirts, Makoto climbed into bed beside him. Her bruised lover finally let a smile show through before almost immediately shuffling over and gently taking hold of her lithe body.</p><p>"Thank you so much for all of this." he said quietly, with more resolve in his voice again.</p><p>"You're welcome." she smiled back.</p><p>"No, really,” his smile began to fade again. "in that interrogation room, I was scared I wasn't gonna make it out. It made me realise just how powerless I am outside of the metaverse... that maybe I’m really just a kid in way over his head."</p><p>"Don't say that." Makoto replied confidently, looking into his eyes with a hand on his cheek. "Ren, everything you've done is amazing. You've saved so many people; Ryuji, Ann, Yusuke, Haru, and so many more. And...you saved me from a life without enjoyment. You didn't get this far by being 'in over your head'...no, you have a resolve unlike anything anyone has ever seen before." she explained, every word clearly coming straight from her heart.</p><p>Suddenly she felt Ren's embrace tighten, although it remained just as soft as her’s before. His eyes were glossy with tears; "I love you." was all he could think to say in that moment. Makoto blushed, though returned the embrace- loosely, of course, so as not to risk hurting him. The boy looked at her, gazing into her deep red irises. "I feel so lucky to have you right now." was all he could express while caressing her cheek, soft and warm as it was.</p><p>Ren’s smile returned as he leaned forward and kissed her unexpectedly on the lips. It was short, though still passionate and left both of them temporarily breathless as they parted. Their foreheads were pressed together, calm breaths mingling. Makoto returned to her earlier position somewhat, letting her head rest in the crook of his neck.</p><p>"You know," he said with a small smirk, "the whole time I was in there, all I could think about was seeing you again."</p><p>Her own smile grew a little wider. "I thought the same."</p><p>Giving a quiet chuckle, Ren brought her head back a little. He brushed away the girl’s soft, brown bangs for a moment and planted another kiss on her forehead. Then he let go, allowing Makoto's head to return to his neck.</p><p>"I love you, Makoto." He repeated softly.</p><p>Quietly she replied, "I love you too, Ren.", feeling an incomparable warmth in her chest as his chin rested in her hair.</p><p>"Good night." her lover reached for the lamp finally.</p><p>"Mmmh, good night." she murmured happily, closing her eyes as the lights went off.</p><p>Both of the children had something to help them sleep well that night. For Makoto, resting so close to him meant that she could feel his warm chest and pulsing heartbeat. It was proof he was still alive, that he'd be able to fight another day-and that Makoto hadn't lost him. As for Ren, simply holding his lover so tightly in his arms was enough for him. The last two days had been hell for a boy of his age, but thinking avout seeing Makoto again, holding her as he was now... that had kept him going; she had been the light at the end of his tunnel. Neither of them could have felt more peaceful sleeping that night than they were embracing one another.</p><p>--</p><p>The boy panted heavily as he tried to pick himself up off the floor. He looked forward and saw Goro Akechi, a maniacal grin across the deranged detective’s face as he grasped someone by the neck.</p><p>It was a girl who looked to be reaching for the boy on the floor. "REN!" she screamed, clearly trying to fight her captor to no avail.</p><p>Ren tried to get to his feet, though he felt he wasn't nearly strong enough. His eyes squinted as they tried to identify who Akechi had before him. Her voice was familiar.</p><p>“Stay down, maggot.” Their former ally reached into his coat pocket with his left hand, revealing a gun underneath. Taking a moment to admire the barrel, he pointed it towards the girl, resting it calmly against her forehead.</p><p>Ren could hear her panicked breaths, upon which he finally realized who it was.</p><p>“Heh heh, say goodbye.” A click.</p><p>“Wait...Mako-!”</p><p>The last thing Ren heard was a sharp <b>'BANG!'</b></p><p>--</p><p>"MAKOTO!" Ren involuntarily called out, bolting upright as he reached out a hand. He'd awoken in a cold sweat, panting as heavily as in his dream. Tears welled in his eyes once again, leading him to sob quietly at the end of his bed.</p><p>"R...Ren?" Makoto asked, her tone fraught with worry as she sleepily turned the lamp back on. "W-what's wrong?"</p><p>"N-Nothing..." Ren tried to deny any uncomfort, instead muttering to himself "It... It was just a dream..."</p><p>However, his lover saw right through to his welling tears and shaky tone. Frowning, Makoto hugged him embracingly from behind. "I'm here for you." she assured him. Ren sobbed further, trying to say what he wanted through his tears.</p><p>"I'm... I'm scared... I just... I don't... want to lose you..." even despite his difficulty speaking, Makoto understood him perfectly.</p><p>"It's alright." she repeatedly told him, "Everything will be okay... I'll always be here for you."</p><p>Eventually, Ren finally started to calm down, though his breathing remained heavy and exasperated. As they lay back on the bed again, Makoto took hold of him once more. She cradled his head in her hand, running it through his curly raven hair. She brushed away his bangs and planted a comforting kiss on his forehead before allowing his head to return to the crook of her neck. The boy was holding her a little tighter than earlier, though his hold loosened somewhat once he fell back asleep. Makoto turned off the lamp, closing her eyes again as her chin rested in his fluffy hair.</p><p>Once again, they both calmly fell asleep in one another's arms. This time, however, Ren had no bad dreams; he never even stirred. Unlike earlier, with Makoto now holding him lovingly, he felt safe and protected. As she continued to cradle his head that night, the boy was put at even greater ease. She held Ren like a mother holding her child; it seemed to let him sleep just as well too. Makoto looked down to his face for a moment to see that his soft smile had returned. That was more than enough to help her sleep peacefully, with him so comfortable in her arms.</p><p>--</p><p>Makoto awoke with a quiet yawn, small slivers of crisp winter sunlight filtering through Ren's dusty attic windows. She slowly turned around and checked her phone. Knowing she had to get up in time for school, as she’d promised to Sae last night, she frowned. The girl had one predicament, however: Ren still had a hold on her.</p><p>"R-Ren..." she said quietly, afraid to disturb his rest, "I have to get up..."</p><p>"Mm..." he mumbled hazily, "Five more minutes..."</p><p>Makoto sighed, yet couldn't help but smile softly at the boy's behaviour. After thinking it over for a moment, she supposed <em> one </em> day of school missed wouldn't hurt. At least, that's what she thought to herself as she turned back around and continued to embrace her lover.</p><p>--</p><p>Makoto: <em> Hey, Haru? </em></p><p>Haru: <em> Yes? </em></p><p>Makoto: <em> Can you tell sensei I won't be in school today? </em></p><p>Haru:<em> Of course, but why's that? </em></p><p>A picture appeared on Haru’s phone screen, which filled her with bubbly excitement.</p><p>Haru: <em> Oh. </em></p><p>
  <em> I see &lt;3 </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Don't worry, I'll tell her. </em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thanks for reading! I wanna give a big thanks to TyrantLizardKing. He was my beta and really helped flesh out the dream sequence, so thanks to him for that. I also wanna say sorry for not posting a full fic in a while. Although, as I'm sure you can all guess, I'm in a situation with a lot more free time now, so maybe I might be writing some more.</p><p>...or I'll just goof off playing video games, you never know ^^'</p></blockquote></div></div>
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